Victorian students must safely return to onsite learning in Term 4 as part of any plan announced by the Andrews Labor Government on Sunday.
Labor’s failure to control the second wave of COVID-19 has left Victorian students lagging academically and has put a strain on mental health and wellbeing amongst young people.
Victorian students, teachers and parents deserve to see a plan from the Andrew’s Labor Government that enables all students to safely return to onsite learning. This could be fast-tracked in rural and regional Victoria where there are non-existent or fewer cases of COVID-19.
Rural and regional schools are already significantly disadvantaged in educational outcomes and academic results. In addition, Labor’s failure to invest in regional Victorian schools has left students struggling with remote learning due to inadequate digital infrastructure and connectivity.
Continuing to force rural and regional schools to remain in remote learning when they can safely return to school onsite will only further disadvantage these regional Victorian students.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Education, Cindy McLeish:
“Daniel Andrews needs to announce a plan to safely return to Victorian students to onsite learning immediately.
“Victorian students and parents have done an amazing job with remote learning but the Andrews Labor Government needs to get our students safely back to school and once again learning in their classrooms.
“Remote learning has been a struggle for students, families and teachers at the best of times but it has been truly challenging for rural and regional schools, who are already disproportionately disadvantaged.
“We are seeing students and parents who have been absolutely pushed to their limits. It’s time for Daniel Andrews to announce a plan to get students back where they should be; learning in the classroom.”
